To Blossom in Winter
by AShinyDelibird
Summary: Minami starts to acknowledge her hidden love for Yutaka, and an upcoming sabbatical at a snowy cottage could provide the perfect opportunity for the two of them to get closer. What will develop amidst the snowy mountains? Minami x Yutaka
1. Chapter 1: Birthday Surprises

**Hey everyone! So, this is my first FanFic ever, and I'm very excited to be starting off with a Lucky Star fic based on the Minami x Yutaka pairing. I love this pairing so much, probably because I identify a lot with Minami and this pairing also gets a fair amount of coverage in the actual anime. This story is written almost exclusively from the perspective of Minami, so her thoughts and emotions are going to be predominant. I'm not sure how long the chapters will be from here on out, and I suppose y'all can help me decide that. Of course, longer chapters normally means less frequent updates, and vice versa. Please leave me feedback and constructive criticism (as well as praise, because that motivates me to keep going as well) so I can learn from more experienced readers and writers and make this fic the best it can be. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Let's get into a somewhat long chapter one!**

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"Ok class, that should do it for today. Your homework is on the board, and is due Monday. Have a great weekend!"

Minami Iwasaki began putting her textbook and notebook back into her bag, delighted that she'd made it through another grueling week of school. The prospect of the coming weekend excited her, but also drained her resolve and focus with each passing day. Now that school was done for the week, she felt both relieved and spent.

"Hey, Minami-chan! Um...are you feeling ok?"

A petite girl with salmon-pink hair down to her shoulders stood in front of her desk, a fact Minami failed to register until the much shorter girl spoke up. She wore two cerulean ribbons in her hair, and had to look up at Minami even though she was still seated in her desk.

_I must've been more out of it than I thought..._

"Hi, Yutaka...Yeah, I'm ok. Just tired from all the work we've had this week."

"I know! It was almost more than I could handle, too. But I know that with people like you watching my back, I can make it through whatever life throws at me!"

This made Minami blush slightly. She knew Yutaka was talking about her more than anyone else, and it was true. Not surprisingly, given her size, Yutaka Kobayakawa was frail and constantly got sick, which frequently caused her to miss several days of school at a time. Minami would always go visit her friend, sharing what she missed in class that day and asking if she felt any better. Yutaka would always put on a brave face and say she was doing fine, but Minami still worried every time she came to school and saw Yutaka's empty desk.

"Are you excited for your birthday this weekend, Minami-chan?" This question instantly snapped her back into reality once again. She had thought about it every day this week, constantly wondering what she would receive.

O++O

Minami's parents were wealthy, a fact she tried very hard to conceal from her friends. She told her parents every year that she didn't want anything too extravagant, yet somehow they always found a way to make each birthday special. She received her favorite birthday gift a few years ago. On that day, a loud yelp had awoken her, and as she blearily looked around for the source of the noise, she felt something large and soft climb onto her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she saw a gorgeous dog with snow-white fur and pink ears staring at her curiously. Her surprise quickly turned to joy, and she instantly sat up and started scratching the dog's ears and rubbing its belly. Her mother, Honoka, came in shortly after and asked her what she thought of her present. She ran over and hugged her mother delightedly.

"I'm going to name my new pet after the most beautiful thing I can think of - a cherry blossom. I'll call her: Cherry."

Years later, Minami and Cherry were still as close as ever. Sometimes, Cherry was a better friend to her than anyone except Yutaka. She knew that although it would be tough to top that birthday, if this year was anywhere close, she would be overjoyed.

O++O

"Of course. Even though I'm not sure what I'll be receiving, I'm confident whatever I get will be more than enough to make me happy. By the way, what are you doing this weekend, Yutaka?"

"Um...I'm not sure yet. Kona-chan's not going to any conventions, so she'll probably stay home all weekend. Onee-san will probably be working or out with her husband, and Uncle Sojiro is taking pictures for the newspaper on Saturday and Sunday. I guess I'll have to figure out something to do on my own."

"Oh..." Minami felt bad for her best friend. Often times, she was the only one who would hang out with Yutaka regularly. Sure, the two of them saw their friends Patricia and Hiyori at school and walked home with them sometimes, but Minami was usually the only one to see Yutaka on weekends or even when she was sick. Hiyori and Patricia visited, but usually not for longer than 10 minutes. Minami stayed with Yutaka to give her assignments and keep her company, but the other two girls weren't too keen on possibly catching a virus, so they rarely stayed for long.

"Well, maybe you can come over for my birthday and see what I got. Don't worry, you don't have to bring me anything. I know this is sort of last min-"

"OF COURSE I'LL GET YOU SOMETHING, MINAMI-CHAN! You're my best friend! Why wouldn't I get you a present to show how much I appreciate everything you do for me?"

Minami blushed deeper now. She felt like she had an obligation to watch over her best friend and keep her safe. She would never forget the first day she met Yutaka, when she showed her to the nurse's office and gave her a handkerchief. From that day on, Minami felt responsible for the well being of her fragile and innocent friend.

"T-thanks, Yutaka..." Minami said, turning her head so Yutaka wouldn't see her blushing. "You can just come over whenever you're free...I'll probably be home most of the day, so feel free to drop by when you get the chance."

"Sure, Minami-chan. Can't wait to see you!" Yutaka smiled up at her friend, then, almost skipping, left the classroom and disappeared out of sight.

_Phew...That was close. I-I wonder what will happen when she comes over. I'm always over at her place to keep her company while she's ill, but what will she think about where I live? Will the size of my house intimidate her? Will she still like me?_

She pondered these questions as she walked through the hallways of her school toward the exit. Her thoughts distracted her from her surroundings to where she almost didn't notice the other students passing by. Not that she was liable to talk to anyone else anyway; Minami kept to herself unless spoken to, a characteristic that left many people with the wrong idea about her. Only her closest friends, Yutaka, Patricia and Hiyori, knew what she was really like. To the rest of the student body, she was practically an enigma; a strange, quiet girl that no one really paid attention to.

Minami was anxious to get home. Her evergreen hair flowed around her shoulders as she walked out of the school gates and onto the sidewalk. Her friends were all busy today, so she was forced to walk home by herself. Sometimes when this happened, she felt lonely and scared of the world around her, although she tried her best not to show it. Today, however, she was too preoccupied with images of how the next day might progress. Her birthday was tomorrow, and she was anxious to get home, eat, finish her homework, and sleep.

O++O

Minami ran through a field of beautiful tulips of every color. She somehow knew exactly where to go, even though she'd never been here before. Suddenly, she spotted a girl sitting on a bench in a clearing, and knew that was her destination. She slowed to a walk and realized the girl was Yutaka, holding a bouquet of white roses and smiling brightly.

"Yutaka..."

"Hi, Minami-chan! Um...happy birthday!" The shorter girl blushed deeply and handed the roses to Minami, head tilted slowly downward. The taller girl looked at them, dumbstruck and overcome with feeling.

_Does she know white roses signify young love? And if so, what does that mean for the two of us..._

"Minami-chan, there's something else I want to tell you. I...I don't know how to say this, but you've been there for me since the first day we met. The instant you gave me that handkerchief, I knew you were going to be special. So special, that...that...I LOVE YOU, MINAMI-CHAN!"

Minami stood, speechless, holding the roses tightly in her hands and blushing a deep shade of ruby. Secretly, Minami harbored feelings for Yutaka too, and had ever since she met her. Her kindness toward Minami that day, even though they didn't know each other then, was something she'd never received from anyone else her entire life. She had tried to keep those feelings hidden deep within her, because if anything happened to her friendship with Yutaka, she would be devastated to the point of depression. None of that mattered now, however, as Minami began to smile. Normally, Minami's lips never broke into more than a mild smirk, but now she was grinning from ear to ear, looking at the woman who had just confessed her love for her.

Minami set the roses down on the bench and pulled Yutaka to her feet. She brought her close and looked deep into her eyes.

"I love you too, Yutaka. I have since the day we met."

"Minami-chan..."

The two of the drew closer, as time and space seemed to disappear around them, leaving them alone in an endless sea of bliss. They drew closer, their eyes still locked on one another. Mere inches separated their lips...

Suddenly, Minami heard a loud buzzing noise from somewhere above her. It rang once, twice, three times. The noise still blared overhead as Minami felt something pulling her in the opposite direction from Yutaka. Some sort of gravitational pull was dragging Minami farther and farther away from her lover. She fought as hard as she could, but the force was stronger than she was. The buzzing noise still screeched above her. She stretched out her hand for Yutaka, but she was too far away.

"MINAMI-CHAN, COME BAAAAACK!"

O++O

Minami opened her eyes. She could still hear the buzzing noise, but it was much softer than in her dream. She sat up to turn off her alarm, then quickly lay down on the bed once again and closed her eyes.

_What kind of dream was that? I've never had a dream that powerful, especially about..._

She pictured the scene again in her mind. The memory of what happened was still all too fresh. Yutaka, her best friend, confessing her love for her in a beautiful garden. Minami picking her up and declaring her own hidden feelings for Yutaka. Their lips and bodies slowly moving closer together...

"Happy birthday, Minami!"

Her eyes snapped open. She quickly tried to cleared these thoughts from her mind as her mother walked into her room.

"Say, are you feeling ok? Your face looks red and you're a bit sweaty..."

_Oh no. I'm still blushing! It's much easier to make thoughts disappear briefly from your mind than your cheeks._

"I-I'm just a bit warm, is all. Thanks for asking though."

"Ok, if you're sure. Anyway, why don't you get cleaned up and come downstairs? I want to start your birthday celebration nice and early!"

This wasn't an unusual practice in the Iwasaki residence. Usually, birthdays were taken care of first thing in the morning. Honoka said she simply wasn't very patient and couldn't wait for her daughter to open her gifts. So, Minami yawned and clambered out of bed. Grabbing a towel, she quickly disrobed and headed to the bathroom.

Once safely underneath the pleasantly hot water, she allowed herself to contemplate the meaning of her dream once again.

_Am I really in love with Yutaka? Well, I guess that's obvious based on that dream...but how does Yutaka feel about me? She'd probably think I was weird if I told her how I really felt. I'd never want to risk losing my best friend, especially over something like this. I can't let my feelings for Yutaka jeopardize our friendship. I'll keep this hidden for now and save myself that much more heartbreak._

After she was clean and properly dressed, Minami headed downstairs to find her mother waiting for her. Several packages surrounded her, and Minami already dreaded how overboard her mother went with the gift giving this year.

Surprisingly, however, she found nothing that seemed too pricey. She got some new headphones, a new collar for Cherry, and some new clothes. Only one package remained, and before she opened it, her mother cautioned her:

"Now Minami, this might seem like a big present, but I insist you take it. Everything else I got you didn't even reach half the price I normally spend on your birthday each year! Anyway, I hope you like it."

Slightly worried, Minami opened the box and found a beautiful model of a large winter cottage. The roof and ground were covered in snow, and the house was made out of dark mahogany wood. Inside, she could see rooms, stairs and even a miniature chandelier. The piece was lovely, but Minami couldn't understand why her mother would make such a big deal out of it. It didn't seem as expensive as she made it out to be.

"Mother, thank you for the gift. It's truly wonderful. But I have to ask: Why this?"

"Well, there happens to be a part two to your gift."

_Part...two? What does she..._

"This model represents a real cottage a few hours north of here. Your father and I purchased it without telling you so we could surprise you for your birthday. You, me, your father and Cherry are all going to the cottage for a week in December!"

Minami didn't know what to say. She was overjoyed. Unbeknownst to everyone except her family, winter and snow were two of her favorite things. She loved sitting next to a cozy fire and watching the snow fall outside her window. Plus, she had never been skiing or really attempted any winter sports before, and she was already dying to give them a try.

"It-it's perfect! Thank you mother!" Minami rushed up and gave her mother a big hug. She stood there for a minute while her mother stroked her soft green hair. When they broke apart, Minami looked up at her mother.

"Um...mom...can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, dear."

"How big is the cottage?"

"Well, it has three bedrooms and four bathrooms, if that's what you mean. We bought a cottage with some extra space just in case we had guests over."

"Then can I ask you a favor?"

Her mother had an idea of where she was going with this, and cut her off before she could ask.

"Of course Yutaka can come, but only if her family says it's ok. She seems like a fragile girl, and although she's your friend, you can't go dragging her so far from home without consent from a parent or guardian."

"H-how did you know I was going to ask you that?"

"Mother's intuition, of course!" Honoka smiled. Minami didn't know it, but her mother bought a cottage with an extra bedroom in the hopes that her daughter would maintain her friendships with her classmates. Before high school started, it was rare to hear Minami talk about any of the other students, let alone say she was friends with any of them. Honoka wanted to do all she could to make sure Minami lived a happy, healthy lifestyle, and that included making friends. Some people might say using money to help someone get friends isn't the noblest thing to do, but Honoka knew money wasn't the reason Minami and her new friends had become close, so she didn't mind pushing them in the right direction just a bit.

"T-thank you so much, mom! I told her she could come over sometime today. I'll be sure to tell her about this and see if she'll call her family to make sure it's ok for her to go."

"Ok, dear. I can't wait to meet her!"

All of Minami's fears about Yutaka seeing her house were temporarily assuaged as she thought about what she and Yutaka would do for a whole week at the cottage.

_We can learn how to ski together, and have snowball fights, and go sledding, and sit together by the fi-_

This last thought turned Minami's cheeks from their normal beige color to a solid pink. She and Yutaka, huddled together, watching the snow fall and holding each other close for warmth...

_No. I told myself I'd banish those thoughts from my mind for the sake of our friendship. I need to keep myself occupied with something else so these images don't come rushing back into my head._

Minami decided to read for a couple hours, then had a nice lunch with her mother. After secretly feeding Cherry her leftover scraps, she headed over to the piano and began to play. She became so involved with the song she was playing, she failed to hear a set of tiny footsteps coming toward her. As she finished her tune, she heard clapping coming from the other side of the room. She immediately jumped and looked around. There stood Yutaka, wearing a flowing yellow and white sun dress with two matching white ribbons in her hair. She looked like something out of Minami's fantasies, but she knew this was no dream. In the crook of her arm she held a small white box topped with a smooth red bow.

"Hi, Minami-chan! That was absolutely beautiful!"

Turning her head away from her friend so she wouldn't see her blushing, Minami responded.

"Hi, Yutaka. When did you get here...and how long were you listening for?"

"Your mom let me in about five minutes ago. She's so nice, just like you! I heard you playing and came to listen until you were done. You're so talented, Minami-chan!"

"Oh...T-thank you, Yutaka..." Minami was still avoiding looking at Yutaka directly, so she busied herself with putting away her sheet music. She wanted her face to at least turn from red to pink before she dared glance at Yutaka again.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Happy birthday, Minami-chan!" Yutaka walked over to her and held out the box in her right hand. Minami finally turned her head to see Yutaka's smiling face and the box being held in front of her.

_She looks so cute like that..._

Minami was unable to help herself, and her cheeks went back to being glowing red beacons.

"Y-you shouldn't have. This is too much."

"I told you I'd get you a present, didn't I! Don't you want to see what I got you?"

The truth was absolutely yes, but she was still so embarrassed she could barely mumble a soft "Mhmm..." before accepting her gift.

_What could she have gotten me? It could be a friendship bracelet, or earrings...No, this felt much too heavy to be earrings. But the box was certainly small enough for jewelry..._

"Please, Minami-chan, open it!" Yutaka smiled again, and Minami forgot all her troubles. She carefully undid the ribbon so as not to ruin it, then opened the box. She gasped.

Inside the box was what seemed to be another box, but this one was made of sterling silver and was decorated with a beautiful floral pattern on the lid. In turning it over, she saw her initials engraved on the back in capitalized Blackletter font. Her fingers shook as she cracked opened the box. Inside was a complex display of small metal strings, and as she opened the box further, she heard a song coming from it that was all too familiar.

"Yutaka, how did you know White Christmas was my favorite song?" Tears filled her eyes as she looked at her beaming friend.

"A few weeks ago, I saw you staring out the window and heard you humming that tune. I figured you must be wishing it was winter, and were humming that song to make it seem more like that time of year. I asked Uncle Sojiro if he knew any places that made music boxes, and he led me to the perfect store. I had to save my money for a while, but when I saw it, I knew it was the perfect present!"

Tears rolled openly down Minami's cheeks now. No one had ever put that much thought into a gift for her except her parents. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have Yutaka in her life, even though she sometimes wished that they were more than friends. She gently put the box back, then stood up and looked into Yutaka's eyes.

"Do you like it, Minami-chan?"

Minami simply responded by pulling Yutaka into a tight hug. Although it wasn't easy with their height difference, Minami laid her head onto Yutaka's shoulder and continued to cry tears of joy, while Yutaka stroked her hair just like her mother had earlier that day.

"I-I love it, Yutaka. So much. Thank you."

* * *

**Again, please tell me what you thought of this so far. If you made it down to the end, I appreciate you already. Stay tuned for chapter 2, ****(hopefully) **coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2: Poorly Concealed Emotions

**Time for chapter two! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed. The support for this story overwhelmed me! I never thought my first story would get such a positive response. I've definitely taken your thoughts into consideration, and I hope I've lived up to or exceeded your expectations with this next installment. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Minami and Yutaka finally broke away, giving the taller girl a chance to wipe her slightly swollen eyes, which had turned scarlet. Remnants of tears still clung to her eyelashes, but she didn't care. Her fingers delicately pried opened the treasured music box again, and with each note the finely tuned metal strings plinked out, the emotionally overwhelmed girl lost herself in the melody. A thought rudely intruded upon her resplendent daydreaming, however, causing the insecure young woman to delicately seal the box once again. She quickly composed herself before surveying the girl of her dreams, intent upon imparting the same euphoria she had just received.

"Yutaka...I-I sort of have a gift for you as well."

The fragile girl's eyes widened, both with surprise and excitement. Minami took immense felicity in witnessing this sudden metamorphosis of Yutaka's features. "What? But my birthday isn't until December 20th!"

Minami's normally flat mouth cracked ever so slightly into a grin; an involuntary but burdensome task given how utterly abashed she felt. "I know, but it's important that I tell you this now so you have time to...prepare."

Yutaka's eyes now resembled wall-mounted clocks; spacious and spherical, with a minuscule yellow-green dot in the center of each one. Her pupils darted here and there unwillingly as she processed this information.

_Minami-chan already has my present? But it's so early! And why is her face so red? I hope she's feeling ok..._

"Yutaka?"

"Oh!" Yutaka flinched as she realized she was spacing out on her green-haired friend and quickly straightened up. "Sorry, Minami-chan. I'd love to see my present now!"

"F-follow me then." Minami led the way, giving her the perfect opportunity to calm down somewhat and allow her flushed face to return to its natural light beige tone. Yutaka followed close behind, unsure of what to expect as they traipsed through the halls of the Iwasakis' capacious residence. They soon reached the dining room, where Yutaka beheld a striking model of a winter cottage. From a distance, she noticed snow covering every surface, including the walkway to the front door, lined with towering sable lamps and burgundy bricks. As she approached the piece, she could clearly distinguish tiny representations of the estate's amenities, such as a large stone fireplace in the living room and a mahogany wood deck which overlooked a forest of snow-covered cedar trees.

"This is incredible!" Yutaka circled the model, taking in every detail that came to her attention. After she came to a stand still, Minami walked over to her and began staring intently at the cottage.

"Thank you, but this isn't exactly your gift."

"Huh?" Yutaka looked up at her friend, who kept her gaze determinately on the snow-blanketed rooftop.

"Truth is, this cottage is real. The actual building lies a few hours north of here, among the trees and the mountains. That's where you'll get your birthday gift."

Minami finally turned and faced her friend. "I'd like you to come with me and my family for a week this December...Actually, I'd prefer it to be during your birthday. I know that's asking so much, taking you away from your fam-"

She was cut short as Yutaka flung herself at the bewildered speaker, nearly tackling her to the ground. If not for the height difference, they'd both be laying on the floor in a heap. Minami looked down to find the petite girl hugging her waist with as much force as she could muster. Yutaka's laconic, pale pink hair obscured her eyes, but Minami thought she felt something wet fall onto her cardigan. Minami stood unmoving for a few seconds, comprehending what had just transpired. Then she returned Yutaka's hug, trying to pour all of her unsaid feelings into it without being too obvious. Time lost its unyielding power as the two reveled in the other's embrace, albeit for somewhat different reasons. When they broke apart, Yutaka stared up at Minami with sparkling eyes.

"Yes! Of course I'll come with you! I've always wanted to go to the mountains, but no one in my family ever let me go. I hope Uncle Sojiro will allow it this time!"

"Yeah...I do too." Minami noted how Yutaka just said "with you" instead of "with you and your family" and blushed again. This was becoming quite an embarrassing habit, and she told herself she would work on it before they made the journey up to the cottage.

Minami spent the remainder of the day with Yutaka, watching movies, playing with Cherry and eating dinner. When it was time for Yutaka to depart, Minami walked her to the door and waved a heartfelt yet somber goodbye to her friend as she walked through the gate and out of sight. Once the door was shut, Minami pressed her back against the cool wood and lowered herself to the ground.

_Today was exhausting, but it was also one of the best days of my life. I got to hug Yutaka...twice!_ She reeled her thoughts back in a bit, remembering her promise to make sure her friendship with Yutaka wasn't jeopardized by her true feelings. _I don't know how I'm going to make it to December. With so much planned out already, I don't know how I'll ever be able to concentrate on school. At least I'll have Yutaka there, as well as Patty and Hiyori. If I spend time with them too instead of just Yutaka, then hopefully I won't be as tempted to confess my feelings for her outright._

O++O

Slowly, the fall semester unfurled before Minami and her friends. Time seemed to revel in making a single day feel like a fortnight. Her teacher failed to remedy the situation, lavishing her with a vast expanse of tedious homework assignments. Most school nights she found herself laboring away at piles of worksheets more suited for an office setting than for a freshman high school class. Her weekends and breaks, however, contained ample amounts of merriment, only barely allowing her enervated mind a brief respite before being thrown unceremoniously back into full throttle the following Monday.

For the first time in her life, Minami found herself spending more time outside with real friends than inside pursuing her favorite pastimes: practicing piano, reading books or playing the occasional video game. The presence of Yutaka acted as an endorphin, curing her of the constant pain her mind and body suffered from being at school all week. Contrary to popular belief, Minami's commendable grades didn't come to her naturally. Each night, she honed the skills she learned that day until her brain fried and simply refused to work any longer. Usually, this left her only a little time for herself, during which she would eat with her parents and read or play a game before finally acknowledging her body's need for sleep. But seeing Yutaka, Patty and Hiyori at school each day and during the weekend made time slightly relinquish its ironclad grip on Minami.

O++O

December finally appeared over the horizon, waving its goodbyes to previous months with gusts of frigid wind and plummeting temperatures. Sunshine turned to rain, rain morphed into a wintry mix, and snow appeared to be next in line. The drop in temperature seemingly had a direct correlation with the mood of the students at Ryōō High School. This weekend, Minami found herself locked in her room, pencil in hand and eyes glazing over a heavily highlighted page in a hefty brown textbook, instead of out enjoying the company of her best friend. This thought struck in Minami's head like a lightning bolt, causing her to drop her pencil and sigh in exasperation.

_These past few days have really taken their toll. It's all I can do to stop my brain from dabbling into what might happen starting this weekend. How will I ever concentrate on all my exams?_

Minami's mind chose that moment to replay a memory of the afternoon Yutaka told Minami she could go with the Iwasakis to their posh winter cottage.

O++O

It was October, as the brownish-yellow leaves on the slightly drooping trees outside proclaimed. Minami sat at her overused and slightly worn desk chair, attempting to knock out her homework for the weekend so she could go shopping with Yutaka, Hiyori and Patty the next day. As she concentrated on filling in one of her final questions, a soft buzzing noise disturbed her from her train of thought. Her gaze drifted idly to the caller ID on her cell phone, but as she registered who the caller was, her eyes grew wide and she nabbed her phone off the desk in record time.

"H-hello?" Minami had a slightly nervous yet excited tone to her voice.

"Hi Minami-chan! I hope I'm not calling too late..."

"No, no...I was just finishing my homework. What do you need?" Truthfully, Minami was extremely glad to have an excuse to both give her aching brain a rest and talk to Yutaka. Her sweet, innocent voice flooded her with waves of youthful joy and contentment.

"I have great news, Minami-chan! I just asked Uncle Sojiro about the cottage, and he said it was ok for me to go!"

Minami almost floated out of her chair. All the stress and pressure of school melted away, replaced by an inexorable urge to sing at the top of her lungs. Of course, this was likely never to happen, being the quiet, reserved girl she was, but she didn't care. Her lips cracked into a rare, toothy grin, and she took solace in the fact that no one could witness her elation.

"Yutaka...That's wonderful news. He really said he's ok with you going?" It was a foolish question, but she had to make sure she wasn't dreaming and that there weren't any supplemental conditions involved.

"Yeah. He said as long as I'm with you and I'm not outside for too long each day, then it's fine. He also said that he didn't mind me being gone for my birthday, since we'll be coming back the day after anyway. We'll just celebrate as a family when I get back."

That was all Minami needed to hear. In a moment of triumph, she clenched the phone tightly in her hand and raised it into the air, lowering her head slightly to complete an epic pose. Just then, Honoka happened to walk by her room and witness her spur of the moment display. Her attempts to stifle a giggle were unsuccessful, however, causing Minami to freeze when she heard it. Slowly lowering her arm and turning to her mother at the same pace, she stared at her mother with saucer-sized eyes and burning red cheeks.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't see a thing!" Honoka commented as she walked away, fighting the urge to laugh once again. Minami still sat frozen in place, her pride demolished by her mother's sudden appearance. It wasn't until she heard the faintest of sounds coming from the receiver that she realized Yutaka was still on the line. She immediately placed the phone back to her each.

"...Minami-chan? Are you still there?"

Her cheeks flamed up once again. "S-sorry. My mother stopped by for a second." Minami purposefully left out the finer details of what just occurred, and doubted Yutaka would find anything suspicious in what she just claimed.

"Oh, ok. Well, I just wanted to call and tell you I can go. Oh, and thanks so much for taking me, Minami-chan! I must be the luckiest girl in the world!"

Minami's face was now so warm she could feel droplets of sweat accumulating on her forehead. Her attempts at composing herself over the weeks since Yutaka first came to her house had been a complete and utter failure, despite the resolve she first exhibited when tackling the problem.

_Does Yutaka realize what she's saying? The way she worded that last sentence was almost...romantic. But that can't be true. Yutaka IS incredibly innocent, after all. Still..._

Her mind wandered off like this until Yutaka's voice rang inside her head like a small cluster of bells once again.

"Well, I should be getting to bed. If I don't sleep now, onee-chan might keep me awake all night with that new game she's been playing. It's hard to believe she thinks it's fun when all I hear from her room is yelling and cursing! Goodnight, Minami-chan!"

Minami only barely collected herself in time to whisper a soft "Goodnight" before the call dropped. Placing the phone back onto the table, Minami walked over to her bed in a trance-like state. Her homework still lay open on her desk, but completing it was the last thought bouncing around Minami's mind at the moment. Resting her head on her pillow, she gazed up at her ceiling without actually seeing it.

_I can't believe this is real. Yutaka staying with me and my family at what's sure to become my favorite place of all time, and for a whole week no less!_

Despite her best intentions, Minami's mind wandered back into the now familiar territory of endless possibilities with Yutaka at the cottage. She pondered how much time they would spend together, with no schoolwork to tie them down. Learning to ski together, riding toboggans down steep hills, enjoying cup after cup of hot tea...

With that, Minami unknowingly slipped off into the land of dreams.

O++O

Minami snapped herself out of her extended flashback, eyes once again meeting the colorfully highlighted pages of an otherwise dull textbook. She would have her time with Yutaka, but for that to happen, she first needed to blaze through these exams. Using Yutaka's image as her North Star, she trudged onward through the sea of knowledge lying open in front of her.

O++O

Exam week did arrive, but only after hours of study transformed Minami's features into a gaunt, ill-fitting mask. Each exam cost her precious brain power, yet also lifted a weight off of her conscience. The long nights she toiled over memorizing different information for each class would not go to waste. Minami contemplated this as she handed in her Social Studies exam.

_Another one down, which means another exam closer to a snowy cottage, winter activities, and Yutaka..._

Finally, only her Grammar exam remained. Looking back, she might have accidentally written in "Yutaka" on one or two of the short answer questions. She couldn't help it. Every third question, her mind strayed back to Yutaka playing in a snow covered field, or Yutaka sledding side by side with her down a steep hill, looks of merriment permanently etched on both their faces. Her cheeks seemed to glow each time this happened, and she scanned the classroom nervously each time she caught herself daydreaming. When she was feeling daring, she would chance a peek at Yutaka, although she restrained herself from doing it too often so she wouldn't be accused of cheating. The two hour exam dragged on for what seemed like days, and multiple times Minami thought the class clock might be broken because the hands barely seemed to budge. When the bell finally rang, she handed in her exam, grabbed her bag and met Yutaka at her desk.

"H-hey, Yutaka." Her voice almost caught in her throat. Why was she always like this when she tried to have a conversation with Yutaka?

"Hi Minami-chan! Did your exams go well? I bet you did really well. You're usually one of the top students in the class!" Though this was true, Minami always felt embarrassed when one of her friends brought this up. She did work hard for her grades, but Minami wasn't interested in making herself feel better than everyone else. In fact, it made her feel more cut off and isolated than she normally did.

Minami craftily steered the conversation away from her grades and the exams they just completed. "I hope so. Anyway, are you all packed for our trip?"

"You bet! Tomorrow morning can't come soon enough!" Yutaka picked up her bag and walked toward the door, closely followed by Minami. The plan was for them to meet at Minami's house a little after 9 a.m. the following day. Konata would walk her younger cousin there to protect her and so she could say goodbye. Then, the four of them (Yutaka, Minami and her parents) would take a car three hours into the mountain range, where the cottage stood waiting for them.

Minami and Yutaka walked to the train station with Hiyori and Patty, whom they wouldn't see for at least a week. The former two told Patty some of what they planned to do, and when Minami and Yutaka exchanged cheerful looks every so often, Hiyori would look away, red-faced and cursing her perverted nature. Patty seemed jealous of their vacation, but said that since she was working longer shifts at the cosplay café during the break, she would be kept plenty busy while they were away. Still discussing their plans for the break, they boarded the train and, one by one, departed at their respective stops. Minami and Yutaka stayed on longer than the other two girls, and when the train reached Yutaka's destination, the two exchanged meaningful and excited glances before the shorter girl headed home.

_I can't be sure of what tomorrow will hold, not to mention the entire week, but what I can be sure of is that Yutaka and I will grow closer, be that as friends or as something more. More..._

Minami lost herself in the finer details of that four-letter word, and almost missed her stop because of it. Inwardly berating herself for not paying better attention, she hurried home to finish packing and eat a light supper before going to bed early. At first she wasn't sure how she would ever fall asleep. The wait was more excruciating than the nights before Christmas and her birthday combined. Somehow, she found herself counting sheep that weren't really sheep at all. Instead, she looked onward at a hundred Yutakas dressed in form-fitting sheep costumes and jumping gracefully over a rosewood fence. Her face flushed involuntarily. Maybe she wasn't so different from Hiyori after all...

O++O

The next day, Minami awoke a few minutes before eight. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she rushed to grab a towel, remove her pajamas and head straight for the warm respite of the shower. Today was an important day after all, and she yearned to look her best for her secret fantasy girl. Washing herself thoroughly and taking care to employ plenty of scented body soap, Minami finished her shower and returned to her room to decide what to don for her first day at the cottage.

_I want to impress Yutaka, but I also don't want to freeze my butt off..._

Her eyes alighted on a ruby overcoat she didn't recall ever seeing in her closet before. Deciding to overlook this detail for the time being, she dressed herself in warm silver ski pants and a long sleeve flanel shirt before slipping her arms through her new jacket. Checking her mirror to make sure she looked satisfactory, Minami headed downstairs to find a breakfast of grilled salmon, rice and miso soup awaiting her. Scarfing down the meal as fast as possible without choking, she put her dishes away and dashed back to her room to grab her suitcases. After bringing them downstairs and resting them by the door, all she could do was wait rather impatiently for her friend and her older cousin to arrive.

9:00 came. Nothing.

9:05...Nothing.

9:10...Still nothing. Minami thought about calling her best friend, but thought better of it. She _had_ said a little after 9 a.m., right?

Finally, at 9:15, she could hear two voices bantering back and forth outside. As their proximity increased, Minami could make out what the two people were saying.

"Onee-chan, look at the time! We should've been here 15 minutes ago! Why couldn't we just take the train like I wanted?"

A sharper, yet slightly amused voice met her ears next. "I told ya, I found a shortcut! We made it here alright, didn't we?"

The higher pitched voice retorted. "But we're still _late_, onee-chan! I hope Minami-chan isn't too worried about us..."

Minami jumped at those words, and as she heard multiple knocks on the front door, she attempted to shift her expression from one of distress to one of tranquility. She opened the door, hoping evidence of her rapid transformation wasn't still etched upon her features.

"Hiya, Minami! Great to see ya again!" Yutaka's cousin Konata was the first to speak. Her glaucous hair shot down past her waist, which granted wasn't the longest of distances. Her playful, slightly mischievous smile might've worried Minami had they not met before. Having been over to the Izumi's place a number of times, she no longer registered Konata as suspicious or intimidating. In fact, her comical banter with her father Sojiro and sometimes even Yutaka made her laugh every time she visited Yutaka at her home.

"It's nice to see you too, Konata. T-thank you for escorting Yutaka here."

"Ah, no problem! I would've been out anyway heading for the comic shop, so I was happy to guide Yutaka here!" She winked at Minami and gave a sly smile, causing her to shift her gaze downward out of habit.

"Hi Minami-chan!" A dulcet tone brought Minami's eyes upward again to face Yutaka as Konata shuffled past them, placing Yutaka's bags by the door near Minami's.

"Morning, Yutaka. You look..." A million different words could've completed this sentence, and yet wouldn't have been enough to aptly describe her feelings. Yutaka was sporting a sleeveless, electric blue fleece jacket, unzipped to reveal a long sleeve wool shirt of a duller, darker shade of blue. A crisp white scarf with sky blue spots randomly assorted along it covered her neck, and a pair of flanel ski pants which matched Minami's shirt almost perfectly protected her legs.

"...radient." Minami finally decided. Yutaka's face lit up when she spoke that word, sending intense waves of pleasure through Minami as she deemed her word choice to be a success.

"You really think so?" Yutaka checked over her outfit, then appeared to confirm her appearance with a nod.

"Well, you look positively stunning, Minami-chan! I wish I could pull off incredible looks like you can." Now it was Minami's turn to look abashed. She knew Yutaka well, and the petite girl never gave out compliments to her friends unless she absolutely meant them. Otherwise, she would cleverly avoid the matter by commenting on some other aspect of the person or change the subject entirely. Minami was often jealous of her friend's ability to avoid hurting people's feelings so effortlessly. When she was in a similar situation, she would normally just stutter and look uncomfortably at anything but the person addressing her.

"T-thanks, Yutaka. You're too kind." Minami forced her downcast eyes back upward to gaze back into Yutaka's, and the sensation made adrenaline coarse through her body.

"Interesting, interesting...I must be sure to tell Hiyori all about this!" Minami and Yutaka both flinched and turned to face Konata. Minami had forgotten the long-haired spitfire was still there, having been caught up in the moment with her dream girl.

"Onee-chan!" Yutaka tossed an annoyed and exasperated look at her cousin as her cheeks flushed out of embarrassment.

"Well, I'd best be going! If I don't get to the store soon, they might sell out of all the first edition copies! Bring her back in one piece, ok Minami?"

"S-sure." Minami wasn't entirely sure whether she was kidding, but she decided to put the thought to rest. She knew deep in her heart that she would protect Yutaka from anything and everything out there, no matter what she went through to do it.

"Well, have a good week, Yutaka! Oh, and happy early birthday!"

"Bye, onee-chan!" Yutaka called out her goodbye as Konata exited the gate and rounded the street corner. As she disappeared, a black town car came into view from the opposite direction and parked in front of the Iwasakis' grand home.

Minami grabbed her bags. "Ready to go?"

Yutaka smiled in response to the taller girl's question. "I've been waiting for that question since September. Let's do it!"

Minami's face turned vermillion as she led the way out the door and past the front gate.

* * *

**Another chapter done! Please leave a review so I know what you think of the story so far. If you feel inclined, a favorite and/or a follow would be absolutely amazing as well. Chapter 3 probably won't be up as quickly as this one was, but I'll do my best to give this another update ASAP. Until then!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Slippery Slope?

**Here is the third chapter of my first ever FanFic, which is turning out pretty well in my opinion, and has been received better than I ever could've imagined. I'm hopeful this chapter is at least on par with the previous two, if it's not better. Anyway, sit back and enjoy chapter three!**

* * *

After securing the gate, Minami opened the rear door to the town car, her cheeks gaining a rosy tint as Yutaka gave her a soft smile in return. The taller girl slid in after her travel companion and looked toward the passenger seat to see her mother, Honoka, seated there. Her olive hair, which lay almost exactly the same way Minami's did, fluttered around her eyes as she turned to face the two girls.

"Hello again, Kobayakawa-san." The older woman decided to address Yutaka first.

"Hi, Mrs. Iwasaki. Please, call me Yutaka." Her forest green eyes shifted downward slightly in embarrassment at being address in such an honorific way by an adult. It was a courtesy she barely ever received given her size and age.

Honoka gave a soft, tinkling laugh. "I do suppose calling you Kobayakawa-san for a week would be rather exhausting. At any rate, it's nice to see you again."

She turned her attention to her only daughter next. "And how has your morning been, Minami? I'm sorry I didn't get to see you before now. I had a bit more shopping to do for the trip this morning, so I had the town car pick me up from the shopping center instead of walking all the way back home. I hope we weren't too late picking you two up."

"Oh, no, it was no trouble. Yutaka's cousin Konata had just dropped her off when the car pulled up." Minami fondly reflected on the events that transpired earlier that morning, including Konata's eccentricity and Yutaka's palpable excitement at going on the trip.

The vehicle soon left behind visions of sprawling neighborhoods and a few towering buildings, passing by trees mostly devoid of their leaves and a few rolling hills. As the journey would take several hours, Minami decided to pass the time by reading a book she picked up the day before, entitled: Fauna of the Snowy Mountains. Yutaka simply stared out the window for some time, taking in the vast expanses of land that stretched out before her beyond the window. After a few minutes, however, Minami felt something dense bump against her shoulder. Surprised, she glanced over to see a forest of rose pink hair partially draped over her shoulder. Yutaka had evidently dozed off, and one of the car's many turns had forced Yutaka's head to land perfectly on Minami. Blushing heavily and quickly glancing up to see if her mother had noticed, Minami smiled at the contact.

_If I could just tell Yutaka how I really feel about her, and if she only reciprocated my feelings, then moments like this could happen much more often...and on purpose! But I'm so scared of ruining my friendship with Yutaka that I can't make myself confess my true feelings. Maybe spending lots of time with her will give me the confidence to tell her how I feel. I know I can't keep this pent up forever._

It was decided. As Yutaka let out soft sighs amidst her slumber, Minami resolved to tell her best friend her deepest secret sometime during their stay. What happened after that would be out of Minami's control, but her unfathomable love for Yutaka drove her to put the smaller girl's feelings before her own. Reciprocated or not, the love Minami felt would not be marred by Yutaka's reply.

Finally, as Minami neared the end of her book, the car turned onto a road with a black metal archway hanging overhead. Swirling patterns went all the way up the two sides, and at the arch's center sat two circles, one inside the other. Bridging the distance between them were gently curving pieces of the same dark metal. Inside the smaller of the two circles rested an image of a flourishing magnolia tree, its leaves blooming across the entire top half of the circle. The trunk of the tree formed an "i", with a small clump of leaves just above the trunk's end serving as the dot atop the letter. While the car trudged onward down the lane, Minami's eyes then took in the rest of her surroundings. True to the model version of the cottage, dark onyx street lamps lined the pathway, while an open field of brightest white enhanced the otherwise flat plain of land surrounding the area. In the distance, she could make out snow-capped mountains, some dotted with small forests of trees, others lying bare before her.

The force of the turn had caused Yutaka's body to shift upright once more, and the force of this action caused her to be roused from her previously undisturbed nap. She blinked wearily as she fought to determine where she was. Her innocent eyes soon met Minami's and her mouth instantly spread in a mirthful grin.

"We're here, Minami-chan!" Minami could tell the salmon-haired girl could hardly contain her jubilation. As Yutaka absorbed the same scene Minami's had, Minami found her eyes could no longer stray from her friend's short, shiny locks of bright pink hair, her dazzled expression as she explored the new world around her, they way her wool shirt and ski pants clung snugly to her figure...

_Stop it, stop it, stop it! I'm just as bad as Hiyori sometimes..._ The lanky girl's face reddened immensely as she hastily turned to embrace the snow-glazed slice of nature surrounding her.

O++O

As the black chariot that had ferried them to their destination departed, Yutaka, Minami and her mother, Honoka, ascended the mahogany stairs to the front door, carrying the last of their baggage with them. Despite her size, Yutaka had packed several more bags than Minami did, and the taller girl had taken it upon herself to schlep two of these bags up the stairs herself. This left Yutaka with just one bag to carry: a smaller, light blue purse with a gold leather strap. With Minami taking the lead up the steps, Yutaka was able to cast her remorseful looks every few steps without the older girl noticing. She lamented having such a petite figure, often forcing her taller, cooler friend to help her with matters like this.

_I'm always a burden on poor Minami-chan! She's done nothing but care for me since the day we met, and visited me every time I've been sick. Not even Patty-chan or Hiyori-chan went that far. If I ever lost Minami-chan, I don't know how I'd cope with daily life anymore. I can't imagine spending my days without her company..._

Yutaka's face flushed even more than was natural on a brisk day like this, realizing the multiple possibilities of this last statement. She thought she had only meant spending time with her as friends, but why then did her mind suddenly provide several flashbacks of Minami kneeling down at her bedside when she was ill, leaning in close to give her comforting words? Old memories rushed back into her mind like water released from a floodgate, all of them featuring the many endearing qualities of her mantis-haired guardian angel.

_Guardian angel? Ok, that HAS to be taking it too far. Minami-chan is my friend, and that's all there can be! I think..._

"Y-Yutaka? Are you coming" Yutaka roused herself from her reverie to glimpse Minami staring down at her with her permanently tranquil expression. Her face took on a shade of chestnut as she noticed her feet had ceased to move for well over a minute.

"Coming, Minami-chan!" Her legs assumed a rapid pace as she raced to catch up with her friend. Although remnants of the tidal wave of flashbacks that crashed over her mind still poked and prodded at her consciousness every few steps, excitement at viewing the rest of the cottage with her pistachio-colored eyes soon took over.

O++O

Setting the heavy suitcases down beside the door, Minami waited for the object of her affection to climb the remaining steps before proceeding any further. They were standing in the living room; a sprawling area almost like a hotel lobby, with leather sofa chairs and couches spread out around an already blazing flagstone fireplace. Dark wooden beams decorated the ceiling, giving it a traditional log cabin feel to compliment the modern set-up of the floor below in a unique way. At the back of the grand territory loomed three towering windows, showering the space with natural light.

By the look of pure ardor and fascination on her face, Yutaka hadn't failed to notice any of this either. Idly dropping her shoulder bag next to the pile of luggage, Yutaka wandered around the living room, imbibing every detail. Minami's lips broke into one of their soft, barely noticeable smiles as she followed her friend through the living room and into the dining area.

"Minami-chan, this place is astounding! I'm so lucky you chose me to come with you!"

Minami's normally beige face colored once again. She couldn't help herself. Any compliment, especially from Yutaka, made her cheeks turn darker than a can of Coke. Although the effect was most profound with Yutaka, this was also the case with just about anyone who complimented her. The only type of person who probably wouldn't evoke that sort of reaction from her would probably be a pervy old man, and with her rather androgynous figure and lack of endowment in certain areas, she didn't figure that was bound to happen in the near future.

_At least my meager form and lack of appeal is useful for something..._ A hint of depression seeped into Minami's mind with this thought, but she quickly waved it away for Yutaka's sake. She was here to have fun and get close to Yutaka, not worry about whether her anatomy was pleasing to Yutaka's eyes. Nevertheless, she found herself turning away briefly to pat her chest in mourning.

Yutaka was too busy to notice Minami's subtle movements. Her eyes had instead alighted upon the dining room table, which alone was enough to capture her attention. Usually, she, Konata, Sojiro and occasionally Yui would eat meals sitting on the floor, with a low table set up for the food to rest on. This one, however, was gigantic in comparison, complete with high-backed wooden chairs with cushions on both the seat and back. Eight regal chairs flanked the finely polished centerpiece, more than enough for two families to sup at comfortably. Moreover, it was what rested atop the table-clothed surface that captivated Yutaka's gaze most. A full-blown feast was laid out before them, featuring a wide assortment of sushi and seafood dishes accompanied by steaming bowls of white rice. Each separate dish rested upon its own plate or bowl, and the massive variety stretched from one end of the table to the other.

"Wow! I've never seen so much food in one place in all my life!" Yutaka's words clearly echoed her exuberance. This caused Minami to stir from her inner reflection as she too beheld the banquet before her.

"This is quite incredible. Can we really eat all of this?" This question illuminated Minami's skepticism more than she intended, and she hastily added, "But it definitely looks delicious."

"I was hoping you'd say that!" Honoka stepped out from behind a door at the other end of the room. Minami had almost forgotten about her mother's presence after assisting Yutaka with her bags and exploring some of the cottage.

"Mother...Where did you come from?" Honoka smiled at her daughter as she sauntered over to one of the middle chairs.

"I went to take a look in the kitchen. Our butler and in-house chef was apparently here all of yesterday and all of today preparing a collection of delicacies for us to sample. He'll be taking care of us for the duration of our stay. He also knows the area exceptionally well, so he'll also act as our guide if and when we venture out closer to the mountains."

This embarrassed Minami slightly, as evidenced by her now terra cotta cheeks.

_A butler? We must seem like rich, haughty snobs to her! I hope she isn't judging me too harshly at the moment..._

She hazarded a glance at Yutaka, whose expression still hadn't changed from one of both gaiety and hunger. Either she hadn't heard all of what her mother had said, or she was too famished to be visibly bothered by it. The taller girl was thankful nonetheless.

Dinner was a generally uneventful affair. The three women loaded themselves with an assortment of seafood and sushi until their stomach lining threatened to tear. Yutaka talked extensively about what they should do while at the cottage, and tentative plans were made to go sledding next day. Minami also questioned her mother about the absence of her dad, to which she replied that he still had work to finish before coming and would be joining them mid-vacation. After they finished their food and the butler began clearing their empty plates and bowls, Honoka led the two girls up the main staircase and down a hallway to the right. At the end of the hall, two doors stood opposite each other.

"Go ahead and pick one, girls!" Honoka motioned to the two walnut doors. Yutaka and Minami stood side by side, with the shorter girl on the left and her much taller friend to her right. After looking at each other briefly, they wordlessly decided to pick the door closest to them. Slowly reaching for the Venetian bronze door levers, they let the doors open at their own leisure. Two gasps split the silence simultaneously.

The two rooms mirrored each other perfectly. At the near wall rested a four-poster, queen size bed with dark merbau wood expanding and collapsing upward to form the four posts. Honeydew colored sheets lay neatly on the surface of the mattress, with several white pillows displayed neatly in front of the wooden headboard. At the opposite wall, four open windows flanked by baby blue curtains exposed different areas of the surrounding environment. Yutaka's room allowed her to glimpse the front lawn, currently covered with a light blanket of snow, along with the surroundings hills and several drooping trees. Minami's view was of the mountains themselves - the tips covered by looming clouds, but obviously snowcapped - as well as the forest beyond. A black cherry nightstand accompanied each bed, and a similar chest of drawers stood against one of the remaining walls.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to customize them more for you, girls. I hope you don't mind..."

"This is fantastic!" Yutaka had her face firmly pressed against the window, taking in the view outside.

"Well, I'll let you two get some sleep. If we're going to start on any winter activities tomorrow, we're going to need our rest." Honoka waved to Yutaka and her daughter before turning to walk back down the hallway.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Iwasaki!" Yutaka finally looked away from the Hallmark scene outside her window and waved in return. Minami waved absentmindedly in her mother's direction, though she said nothing. The spectacular landscape beyond the cottage had captivated her as well.

_I'm finally here. Two of my favorite things together in one place: a wintry backdrop and Yutaka._

"Minami-chan?" Yutaka stood at the door to Minami's room. The inflection in her voice made it clear she had something important to say to her best friend.

"Yutaka..." Minami wordlessly gave her friend permission to enter. Yutaka came over and joined her in front of a window.

"I just wanted to...say thank you, Minami-chan. For everything you've done for me. Even on the day we met, you've taken care of me and put my worries in front of your own. I almost feel bad because...you've had to watch over me so much." Minami finally turned to look at Yutaka. Tears already dotted the petite, innocent girl's eyes as she fought to get the rest of her thoughts out.

"I can't help thinking...if I hadn't met you, where would I be now? What would my life be like without you helping me when I'm sick or playing with me and Patty and Hiyori...Would I even have friends? Could I still make it through high school? I just don't know..." Yutaka lower lip was pushed out slightly, which Minami would've found extremely cute if she hadn't been so concerned about her friend. The chartreuse haired girl placed both her hands on Yutaka's shoulders, causing her to stare back into Minami's sapphire eyes.

"Yutaka, listen to me. You would've be just fine, even if you hadn't met me. You are a sweet, kind, genuine girl who would have no problems making friends. You found Hiyori and Patty just fine without me. Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life, as a friend or..." Minami broke off, trying to save face.

_Yutaka needs me as a friend right now. I can't put any more emotional burden on her with a confession of my true feelings. I still have plenty of time..._

"Y-you really think so, Minami-chan?" Yutaka gave a slight sniff, but her tears had somewhat subsided.

"I know so, Yutaka." And she pulled Yutaka into a tight embrace. Minami's lengthy arms came to rest near the small of Yutaka's back as she hugged her morose friend tightly. Yutaka's bright eyes widened slightly in surprise, then closed as she gratefully hugged Minami in return. Outside, snow drifted lazily down onto the mountain range, unseen by either of the two youngsters. Minami's fingers absentmindedly began stroking up and down Yutaka's back slightly, causing a heavy blush to tarnish Yutaka's tear-stained face. It took Minami several second to notice what she was doing, but jumped back suddenly when she did.

"I-I'm sorry, Yutaka. Anyway, we should probably get some sleep." Minami's cheeks had also gone a shade of carmine.

"Oh...You're probably right. Goodnight, Minami-chan." Yutaka started towards the door, then stopped as she reached the threshold.

"Minami-chan?"

"Hmm?" Minami looked up curiously.

"Thanks." And she walked out of Minami's room and into her own, closing the heavy wooden door behind her. Minami watched her go, then slowly made her way to the bed, feeling too overwhelmed to do anything other than plop down onto the clean cotton sheets.

_How could I have let my movements get away from me like that? My fingers were practically all over her!_ She backpedaled as new, more risqué thoughts entered her head. _Still, the sensation of stroking Yutaka like that was almost too much for me to bear. Had I blushed any harder, I would've looked sunburnt for the rest of my life!_

Noticing that the butler had evidently brought her bags up while she was eating dinner, Minami pulled out a pair of red flanel pajamas and quickly shut the door before changing into them. After brushing her teeth, she grabbed Fauna of the Snowy Mountains our of her suitcase, intending to finish the relatively few pages she had left to read. She soon found herself yawning vigorously and decided her brain had dealt with enough excitement and knowledge for one day. Setting the book down on the nightstand, she turned off the bedside lamp and quickly drifted off into a deep slumber.

O++O

The sun's many appendages of light beat down on the three women as they trudged through an ankle-deep layer of powdery ice crystals. The snow continued to fall for several hours the night before, and the fallen precipitation had only just begun to diminish into its liquid state. A sharp, brisk wind pressed against the trio as they trekked down the path, which was currently invisible under the blanket of brilliant white. The combination of sunlight and bitter wind made for a confusing combination of warmth and cold. The oldest of the three carried a small folding armchair, while the younger two carried different colored toboggans, one a powerful shade of orange flame, the other a festive hue of shamrock green. Yutaka, the youngest and shortest of the group, led the way, her rosy lips parted to reveal a delighted smile.

The path soon led them up a steep path, the top of which exhibited a dazzling view of the cozy cottage below. The hill ran smoothly down to the level of the cottage, which sat about a quarter of a mile away, nestled in the distance between the looming mountains. Honoka set up her lawn chair several yards away from the drop-off point and pulled a book out from her bag, instantly turning to the bookmarked page. Yutaka bounded ahead of Minami, setting her toboggan down right at the edge. Minami approached the edge more cautiously, placing her sled next to her friend's before skeptically scanning the potential ride ahead of her. There was no doubt that there was enough snow to make for a comfortable ride, with almost no hardened ice to make them skid off course. Still, Minami worried about Yutaka. Especially with her size, any unseen bump could send her flying into the air, dropping her unceremoniously onto the thinning snow below and possibly even injuring her. Konata had told her to watch out for Yutaka, and she knew she would do everything in her power to uphold that promise.

"Yutaka...are you sure you'll be ok doing this? I don't want you getting hurt, especially at my expense." Minami focused her gaze on her snow-covered boots rather than at Yutaka. She dreaded witnessing Yutaka's questioning and maybe even slightly betrayed expression. To her surprise, she felt a tiny hand clasp her on the shoulder.

"If you're that worried, Minami-chan, then do you want to hold my hand as we go down? You know...to keep ourselves on course?" Minami's cheeks took on a shade of rosewood, and she hoped Yutaka would attribute it to the frigid wind which continued to batter them. The possible implications of honestly answering that questions were difficult to ignore, and she quickly glanced back at her mother, releasing a sigh of relief as she noticed her mother was completely engrossed in her novel. After several long moments of contemplation, she gave into her urges.

"Yes, Yutaka. That sounds like a great plan." The two girls boarded their sleds, sitting criss-cross with their legs underneath them. As each girl placed their outside hand at the very front of their toboggans, Yutaka reached out a tiny, gloved hand for Minami's own. Minami gazed at it for several seconds, her mind still wound up in the meaning of it all. Starting as she realized what she doing, she looked up to see Yutaka's luminous, olive drab eyes gazing back at her. Minami could clearly see several feelings etched within them: trust, acceptance, elation, and even a bit of longing.

_Maybe I'm just imagining that last part..._

Her face becoming the color of rust, Minami slowly entwined her long, slender fingers with Yutaka's shorter, delicate ones. After exchanging a brief glance, the two girls counted down their descent to the ground below.

"Three...two...one...GO!" Both girls pushed forward on their sleds, the combined force tipping both girls onto the decline and starting them down the hill. The penetrating wind whipped their hair in all directions as they zoomed downward with more speed than Minami had anticipated. Her eyelids closed to protect her streaming eyes from the biting breeze.

Suddenly, a scream rent the air as Minami felt Yutaka's hand leave her own. Promptly opening her eyes, Minami stared in horror as she found Yutaka's body to be ten feet above her own. The petite girl's sled barreled down the bluff, head over end, finally coming to rest near the end of the slope. Minami acted without thinking. Carefully balancing herself on the careening toboggan, the lanky girl bent her knees and leapt as high and far as she could toward Yutaka's now rapidly dropping body. Minami flipped around in mid-air, her stomach now pointing toward the sky. As she stretched out her lengthy arms, Yutaka's full bodyweight struck her midriff. She felt the breath leave her as she wrapped her arms around her friend, pinning her to her front so she wouldn't strike the unforgiving ground below. A single second, which felt more like an hour to Minami, separated them from their imminent impact with the snow and earth.

Then her back struck the surface of the hill, and she let out a soundless yell as they skidded 20 yards down the remainder of the decline. Finally coming to rest at the bottom of the hill, Minami fought to regain her breath. The adrenaline kept her from discerning any injuries, so she merely craned her neck to see if Yutaka was hurt. She saw no signs of blood, and upon checking whether she was conscious, Minami found Yutaka's eyes to be wide open, probably in shock. Minami then felt a sharp pain along her back, and she released an involuntary cry of pain. It was this that roused Yutaka from her stuporous state, and the smaller girl quickly rolled off her friend to relieve some of the pain. Minami's back burned and arched involuntarily off of the wet grass.

_It feels like someone lashed me straight between my shoulder blades with a barbed whip! But..._ She quickly wiggled her fingers and toes, followed by her arms and legs, and felt no additional pain. _Nothing seems to be broken. Thank goodness I got there in time..._

"Minami-chan!" Yutaka was bent over her friend's body, tears rolling openly down her cheeks as she wore a panicked expression. "Minami-chan, are you alright? Is anything broken? Oh, this is all my fault, I'm so sorry!"

Forgetting the searing pain along her back, Minami attempted to console her terrified friend. "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing's broken and I've got my breath back."

"Minami! Yutaka!" Honoka came rushing over, having evidently taken the path back down to their current elevation. "Are you two ok? I looked up when I heard Yutaka scream and saw her floating in mid-air! I lost sight of both of you when she came back down, and when I got low enough to see you, you were both laying in a heap on the ground!"

"I think Yutaka's just shocked. I've probably got a line of scrapes down my back, but nothing serious."

"Oh, thank goodness. Let's get back to the cottage anyway. Our butler will have something to treat your back. It's a good thing you were wearing such a heavy coat, Minami, or you might've been paralyzed or...worse." Honoka visibly shuddered, then helped the two girls to their feet. Minami winced as short bursts of pain raced up the lines of raw skin.

O++O

A fresh slew of bandages having been applied to Minami's wounds - she made sure Yutaka was otherwise occupied before allowing herself to be fixed up - Minami sat at one of the leather couches in the living room, warming herself by the soothing fire. As the sound of light footsteps on the wooden staircase caught her ears, she fought the urge to turn around, knowing full well the consequences her back would suffer if she did. The butler had told her to keep away from any strenuous activity for a full 24 hours to allow the scrapes to at least partially heal. Confirming her suspicion as to who the footsteps belonged to, Yutaka sat down gingerly beside her and looked in her direction. Minami slowly turned her entire body to face Yutaka to limit the amount of strain on her injuries.

"Minami-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"I...I wanted to apologize. You warned me before we went down that it might be too dangerous for someone...like me, to go down that hill. I didn't listen. I was too excited, too caught up in wanting to have fun, especially with you." Yutaka's downcast eyes found the fire now instead of Minami's face.

"Yutaka...You shouldn't talk like that. It wasn't your fault at all. There was no way of knowing which way the sled would go, or which patches of snow and ice it would hit. Part of the fun is not knowing exactly how the ride's going to turn out. I'm just thankful you're not hurt."

Yutaka still didn't look convinced. Her dismal eyes were all too telling of her current mood.

"If you want, we can try again tomorrow... but on the same toboggan this time." Minami blurted out this last part a bit quicker than she would have liked. Her face reddened once more.

"Y-you really mean it, Minami-chan?" Yutaka finally looked back into Minami's clear blue eyes, a glimmer of hope now residing in her own.

"Of course. Our combined weight will definitely keep the sled from tipping over or sliding everywhere. We should be the perfect size to stay on course while still going fast."

Yutaka's face lit up instantly. "Oh, thank you Minami-chan! I'm so lucky to have you. I shudder to think what would've happened if you hadn't made such an amazing leap to save me!"

Minami turned away to conceal her embarrassment. Thankfully, her mother happened to arrive at that precise moment with a tray of lemonade and small cakes, providing a convenient change of subject.

"Courtesy of our fantastic butler!" She beamed as she motioned to the arrangement of goodies. "Anyone want some?"

Yutaka's face instantly turned to the tray of appetizing food and drinks. "Absolutely! Thank you, Mrs. Iwasaki!" Her hands instantly reached for a plate and a glass. Minami soon followed suit, pleased that Yutaka was back to her pleasant and, admittedly, adorable self.

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**Thus, chapter three comes to an end! Reviews are highly appreciated, and if you really enjoyed the story or even my writing in general, don't hesitate to leave a favorite and/or a follow. Like I've said before, all of your comments, favorites and follows motivate me immensely and makes me incredibly happy to have joined such an amazing community. See y'all in chapter four!**


	4. Chapter 4: Snow - Friend Or Foe?

**Hey, all! Well, here's chapter 4. I tried my best to take your reviews into consideration and implement your comments into my story. To those of you who reviewed, thank you for your feedback. Any comment I get on my story inspires me to keep going. Same thing goes for the amazing people that favorited/followed this story and/or me as an author. Without any further delay, here is chapter 4!**

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That night, Minami found sleep to be a luxury even her family's expansive wealth couldn't purchase. Resting on her back was absolutely out of the question; even an insubstantial amount of pressure caused the fissures streaking down her back to tear open anew, throwing her nervous system into a fit of agony. Sleeping on her side, the best option available, could still be equated to torture. As her delicate skin contorted with even the most minute change in position, the rifts lining her injury crashed together like tectonic plates, sending fresh paroxysms along her spine. The realization that the sandman had long since forgotten her finally smacking her sleep-deprived brain, Minami sat up gingerly and decided to finally finish Fauna of the Snowy Mountains.

_I should be able to take another dose of that pain medication around the time I finish this book._

Concentrating on lines of text proved to be a cumbersome process. Although the drastic reduction in movement mostly kept her wound in check, thoughts of the day's events seeped into her mind once more. Yutaka's health was absolutely her primary concern, and she was relieved her friend had escaped relatively unscathed. But she was still tormented that the innocent girl had blamed herself so rapidly for what transpired. How was she supposed to know that specific area of snow was more elevated and firmly compacted than the rest of the hill? Even though her mood had improved to some degree at hearing Minami's promise to try sledding with her again, Yutaka had still looked somewhat despondent. If there was one thing Minami prided herself on, it was her ability to read hidden emotions.

_Maybe that's why I usually look so unresponsive and "cool" to my fellow classmates. I guess I'm talented enough at reading how others are feeling that I hide my own emotions so deep within me..._

Minami jolted herself out of her musings and glanced at her alarm clock. The sliver chrome finish of the device contrasted with the refined laquer finish of her wooden bedside table.

_2 a.m.? I guess I can take a couple more pain relievers now._

Marking her book only a few pages from where she had started, Minami rose fastidiously from her four-poster and sauntered into her bathroom. Walnut cabinets and drawers lined the length of one wall, complimenting her bedroom pleasantly. Light brown emperador marble topped the counter, and two sets of polished white sinks sat within it. The faucet handles and spout were all polished Venetian bronze, just as the door lever was. The rest of the wall was replaced by one long mirror, with two matching cabinets at each end. Along the opposite side of the room, a shower encased in glass stood out prominently, with small, square tiles colored in different shades of brown covering the floor. A toilet sat beside the shower, hiding under two appropriately-sized windows, which were concealed by mint green curtains.

Opening up the closer of the two cabinets, Minami took out a bottle of pain medication, shook a couple of pills into her open palm, and filled up one of the glasses resting between the sinks with water. Popping the capsules into her mouth and taking a swig from her cup, Minami groggily put the medicine bottle back into the cupboard and trudged into her room once more. Setting the glass of water by her bedside in case she wanted a drink later, Minami timidly eased back into bed. With no task to focus on, however, her idle mind wandered back to the seemingly ever-present Yutaka.

_It's going to be a long night..._

O++O

The medicine somewhat helped in putting Minami to sleep, but at the cost of waking up several hours after both her mother and Yutaka. Gently rolling over to look at the clock, Minami started as the device told her she had slept in until just after 10. Hurriedly taking a shower and donning a pair of taupe grey ski pants, an ivory blouse and a periwinkle overcoat, Minami half galloped, half limped down the stairs and into the dining room. While the pain in her back had subsided considerably, a dull throbbing still pervaded around the gash. Her mother and Yutaka were already seated at the table, and looked to be about halfway through their morning meal; an English breakfast complete with fried eggs, golden-brown bacon, toast with butter, sausages and fresh tea. As the olive-haired girl pulled out a chair and sat down, the two other women looked up from their plates.

"Minami-chan, you're up!" Yutaka's excitement was conspicuous on her illuminated face. Honoka also smiled as she noticed her daughter's presence.

"Good morning, Minami. I thought I might have to send the butler up in a few minutes to wake you."

"Umm..." Minami's face turned amaranth at this statement. The idea of a man she hardly knew barging into her room to rouse her from her slumber hardly seemed like a pleasant awakening. Honoka appeared to have read her daughter's mind and quickly reassured her.

"Oh, don't worry. He wouldn't have come in. He would've just knocked on the door until you gave him some sign of your consciousness."

Minami breathed a sigh of relief, still thankful she had woken up in time to avoid such an occurrence. It was no secret that with almost everyone she knew, and certainly with strangers, her social skills weren't excellent. Indeed, even when speaking to Hiyori and Patricia, it was sometimes hard to get more than a slight nod or one-word answer out of her during a conversation. The only people that could really garner full sentences from her were her parents and Yutaka, and even then she still occasionally acted reticent around the latter.

"So, what shall we do today, Minami-chan?" Once again her inner thoughts had blinded her from the outside world. Flinching at the sound of her name, Minami attempted to overcome her natural shyness to provide her crush with an adequate response.

"Well...we could explore the mountains some. I think some interesting animals live around here."

"Oh, I hope we see some cute ones!" The cuteness of Yutaka's enthusiasm had a profound effect on Minami, whose cheeks now looked slightly sunburnt.

"How about we have a snowball fight, too?" Minami felt somewhat apprehensive about this request, seeing as her injury was not fully healed and Yutaka was much more frail and brittle than she was, but she found it impossible to say no to such innocent charm.

"S-sure."

"Thank you, Minami-chan!" The cerise-haired girl's vivacity was infectious, and a small, involuntary grin breached Minami's ruby lips.

"It looks like you'll have plenty of snow for the occasion. I believe we got a fresh blanket last night." Honoka stared out the large windows at the end of the room and confirmed her suspicion with a nod." At any rate, you two had better get ready sooner rather than later if we want to fit a snowball fight and hiking into our schedule today." Not one to take her mother's advice lightly, Minami finished her food and clambered back upstairs to grab a pair of padded, jet-black gloves she had stored in a drawer.

As she descended the staircase and equipped her mittens, Minami found her mother and Yutaka waiting for her by the back door. Together, they walked outside, following a winding path that led past the point where the cottage was still visible. Like the day before, Honoka carried her folding chair and something to read with her. When they found a large enough patch of flat, open land, Minami and Yutaka strolled to opposite ends of the field and started making snowballs. Minami was much faster than Yutaka; her long fingers allowed her to easily compact snow to an appropriate size and shape, and her similarly lengthy reach allowed her to gather snow faster than her petite friend. Not wanting to discourage her crush, Minami held off after a few minutes and allowed Yutaka to catch up. After their piles had reached roughly the same height, Yutaka trotted over to her lanky companion.

"Ready, Minami-chan?" Minami gave a nod in return, her brain frantically attempting to work out a strategy for their impending battle.

_I don't want to hit her too hard and hurt her, but I also don't want it to look like I'm going easy on her. Maybe I can gently lob the snowballs at her instead of throwing them forcefully, but make it look like I'm really putting lots of effort into each throw._

Her mind made up, Minami paced the rest of the way back to her pile of snowballs and faced Yutaka. The look of determination gracing Yutaka's face was incredibly endearing. Distracted by this, Minami almost missed Yutaka yelling "GO!" and hurling a snowball directly at her torso with surprising speed. Ducking down to avoid being hit, Minami grabbed the top snowball off of her pile and threw it in a lobbing motion in Yutaka's general direction. She forced her face to exert a concentrated, almost pained look that she hoped would fool Yutaka into thinking she was going all out. Whether it worked or not, Yutaka said nothing on the subject, which Minami counted as a win.

The snowball fight dragged on for quite some time. Yutaka's aim was astonishingly accurate, and Minami soon found her pants and jacket coated with flecks of white. Yutaka, however, went mostly unscathed throughout their battle, partly due to Minami's pre-fight plan and partly due to Yutaka's remarkable speed and tiny figure. Minami's supply of ammo was nearly depleted, and she felt certain she would lose; a fact that didn't disturb her in the slightest. As long as Yutaka was having fun, so was she. As Minami reached for one of her remaining snowballs, she felt a well-placed shot by Yutaka graze her ear ever so slightly as it whizzed by with expediency. Somewhat panicked after almost being hit dead in the face, Minami's return pitch streaked through the air at an uncomfortable speed, much lower to the ground than the mantis-haired girl anticipated. Minami watched in horror as Yutaka, who had bent to pick up another snowball, lifted her gaze to see a projectile hurdling toward her with breakneck speed. As if in slow motion, the firm, spherical lump hit Yutaka squarely in the face. Stunned, Yutaka fell backwards, collapsing in a heap on her pile of remaining ammunition.

"Yutaka!" Minami sprinted over to her; a slower process than she would have liked due to the ankle-deep snow. By the time she reached her friend, the girl had sat up and began wiping residue from her considerably red face.

"Yutaka, are you alright?" Minami's tone was distraught; she made no effort to hide her worry or guilt. Yutaka merely gazed back at her, her sea green eyes wide and round with shock. Then her mouth opened into an ear-splitting grin and she let out a dainty laugh that took Minami completely by surprise. But soon, Yutaka's laughter transformed her worry into amusement, and Minami cracked up too. They both continued laughing for a solid minute. As their mirth subsided, Minami looked at Yutaka again and donned a protective tone.

"You're sure you'll be fine?"

"Minami-chan, don't worry! I'm not hurt at all. Besides, I was feeling bad that I was hitting you so many times while you kept missing me. Now, I guess we can call this snowball fight a draw!"

"Oh. Thank goodness." Minami wasn't sure how she felt about that second sentence. Her plan had apparently been an utter failure; she both failed to keep Yutaka interested for the majority of the battle and, when she finally and accidentally hit her with a well-placed shot, it swept her off her feet - literally.

"Did...did you have fun?" Minami had to be sure the morning hadn't been a complete waste of time for her friend, or else she would feel even worse about nailing her dead on.

"Of course, Minami-chan! That was the best snowball fight I've ever had!" At these words, Minami let out a contented sigh. She sincerely doubted her friend would lie to her so openly, and those words were enough to make her lose some of her trepidation.

Their snowball fight concluded, the two girls trudged back to where Minami's mother sat reading. When she had packed up her folding chair and book, the trio decided to head back to the cottage for a light lunch before going hiking.

O++O

Their stomachs full to bursting with the contents of a sushi luncheon, Minami, Yutaka and Honoka wandered back to the living room, where they found three oversized hiking backpacks waiting for them. Upon further inspection, Minami found hers to comprise of a sleeping bag, a canteen filled with water, multiple containers of pre-made vittles and a tool-kit. Curious, Minami opened the box to discover a miniature flashlight, flint-and-tinder, first aid supplies and, somewhat to her surprise, a flare gun.

_Is all of this really necessary? I thought we were only going to go hiking until evening and then heading back..._

Yutaka had rummaged through her backpack too, though not before trying it on and almost crumbling under its staggering weight. Honoka, however, didn't seem phased by the copious amount of supplies.

"Our butler packed these for us this morning. He told me to be careful, because apparently you never know what might lurk about in a natural environment like this, even on clearly marked trails. It sounded rather cryptic to me, but I suppose we should take his word for it and carry this stuff anyway. Besides, I'd feel a bit betrayed myself if I spent all morning packing when only half of what I packed was going to be used." Minami's mother hoisted the heavy bundle onto her back and looked back at the two girls. "Right, off we go then!" Turning on her heel, Honoka marched through the back door and down the snowy path toward the mountains. Yutaka shuffled over to Minami, dragging her pack along the ground as she did.

"Your mom can sure be adventurous when she wants to be." Yutaka forced out a small chuckle. Always alert to Yutaka's emotions, Minami could sense something was bothering her friend slightly, and timidly bent down to address her.

"Yutaka...is something wrong?"

"Hmm?" Yutaka looked at Minami distractedly, like she was assembling the final pieces of a puzzle in her mind. "Well...Are you sure you'll be alright hiking today? The wound on your back is still somewhat fresh-"

"I'll be fine." Minami cut through Yutaka's sentence more sharply than she had intended, and backtracked instantly to stay any venom her words might have inflicted on the smaller girl. "I mean...it doesn't hurt so much now. I worry more about you. These packs are heavy, after all."

"I can handle it, Minami-chan! I just want us to have fun!" And, hoisting the corpulent load onto her back, Yutaka walked out the door to join Minami's mother along the trail.

_Yeah...Me too._ Lifting her own bundle more gingerly than the others had, Minami adjusted its weight evenly over her shoulders and pushed open the back door, her body instantly met with a draft of frigid air. Yutaka and Honoka were already a decent distance from the cottage, and Minami decided to jog carefully to where they stood waiting.

The trail ventured much further than where the trio had stopped earlier that day for the snowball fight. Minami found herself entranced by the beautiful scenery of the tundra. Snow-covered branches of the many trees that loomed overhead occasionally dropped their contents to the ground below as the path lured them deeper into the forest. Soon, the trail followed up a hill, and each hiker had to watch their step to avoid slipping as the snow-covered avenue directed them out of the forest and into a more elevated location. Without the cover of the many leafless trees, Minami could clearly distinguish mountains surrounding them, almost like the walls of a gigantic fishbowl.

As thrilled as she was to be encompassed by arguably her favorite biome, Minami couldn't stop herself from stealing glances at the girl next to her, whose french rose hair danced gracefully around her face as a gust of wind passed through the travelers. A slew of concerns clamored for pole position in her mind's eye, each wanting Minami to give it her undivided attention. Would Yutaka be ok walking such a long distance in the cold while carrying such a burden? Could her own back, still throbbing from the injury she had sustained the previous day, handle such immense weight for the duration of the hike? And when was she going to tell Yutaka her most innermost secret: that she liked her a lot more than just as friends?

_I've still got plenty of time for that last one. My main concern right now is that Yutaka has fun, and she can't do that if her pack becomes to heavy or if I look like I'm miserable._

Her mind made up to tell Yutaka about her feelings at a later time, Minami traipsed through the snow alongside her mother and best friend.

O++O

After what felt like ages, the path's steep incline finally leveled off and became flatland once more. Minami stole a glance behind her and discovered they were much higher up than before - practically at the base of the mountain range. Where before there had only been trees surrounding them, the prussian blue walls of many precipices now lined their trail as far as they could see.

As they continued walking, Minami's ears picked up a faint growling noise. Cautious of any wild animals that might be lurking about, Minami scanned the area carefully for signs of life. To her surprise, however, she found no sign of any living creatures, but turned in time to see Yutaka turn an adorable shade of salmon.

"Sorry...I guess I'm just hungry again." Yutaka gave Minami an apologetic smile that made her forget how cold the constant breeze and low temperature had made her.

"I could go for some grub as well." Honoka looked down at her watch. "Well, it looks close enough to dinnertime to me. Be on the lookout for a cave of some sort, and we'll stop there to have some food."

It didn't take the crew long to find a capacious enough opening at the base of one of the numerous bluffs. After another five minutes of walking, Minami spotted a voluminous cave which formed an almost perfect half-circle at the foot of a heavily snow-logged mountain. As it stood about 100 yards away from the trail, the three women were forced to disembark from the path and schlep over to it through almost knee-deep snow. The trail itself was more elevated than the rest of the ground, and the snow had previously only come up to their ankles at its highest point. Finally reaching the confines of the vast cave, Minami, Yutaka and Honoka laboriously set down their oppressive packs and rummaged through them to find sustenance. Minami and Yutaka's packs each carried non-perishable goods; bags of trail mix, peanut butter and crackers among them. Honoka pulled out several cans of tuna, sardines, baked beans and pineapple. Leaving them on the floor of the cave, she also unearthed a can opener, a skillet and a metallic rack, presumably to be placed over the fire for the licorice-colored pan to rest on. After depositing these items as well, Honoka stood up and gazed down gently at the weary looking girls.

"Looks like we'll need some firewood. I'll head back to the forest area and gather some. You two rest up here. It's not too far to the cottage now. The trail loops straight back around to the wrought-iron gates we saw driving up to the house."

As Honoka attempted to gather enough firewood to make a sizable fire, Minami took some time to ask Yutaka how she was feeling.

"I'm doing just fine, Minami-chan." She smiled again, and Minami's cheeks glowed like the setting sun. "I am getting a bit tired, though. I hope your mother was right, and that the cottage isn't too far away from here. But I bet some dinner will perk me up quite a bit!" Minami felt glad that Yutaka still appeared to be having fun, but she was also thankful for some rest. Her back had been bothering her since they started ascending from the forest area to the mountains, and even now her injury confirmed its presence with a series of throbs that made Minami wince involuntarily. This last action did not go unnoticed by the petite girl resting beside her.

"Minami-chan, how...how is your back doing?" Yutaka was obviously concerned, and she knew Minami's gash hadn't fully healed yet.

"It-It's fine. I can definitely make it back to the cottage, at any rate." Minami pressed her back against the cool wall of the cave, her jacket protecting her from the moisture and dirt clinging to it. Glad to give her shoulders an opportunity to rest, Minami let out a contented sign as Yutaka slid down the side of the rock to join her. In between bites of trail mix, Yutaka address her mint-haired friend.

"Hey, Minami-chan...have you had fun during this trip?" The question caught Minami somewhat off guard. She sat in silence's iron grip, unable to free herself from these burdensome chains, until Yutaka clarified her previous question.

"I mean...what with your back getting hurt and everything, I thought I might be, well, pushing you too hard...if that makes any sense." Yutaka seemed flustered. Minami finally found the courage to meet Yutaka's solicitous gaze. Her lime-colored eyes dazzled as the setting sun donated its glamor to her features. Entranced, it took Minami a few endless seconds to pull herself out that emerald pool. She thought for a moment, a pensive look gracing her own cobalt eyes.

"Yes." Minami's fervent yet affectionate tone said much more than her singular answer could have. Though her expression softened a bit and her face took on a scarlet hue, Yutaka pressed her friend once more for a response.

"You're sure I haven't been a burden to you?"

Now Minami did something that surprised herself almost as much as it must have her friend. Once more gazing into Yutaka's innocent, gorgeous eyes, Minami took both of her gloved hands and placed them around Yutaka's. Her mind urged her to reconsider, and her face flushed like never before. But it was her heart that was giving the orders now.

"Yutaka, listen to me. Even if I had been confined to a wheelchair from yesterday's events, or had broken every bone in my body, I still would've had fun simply because I was with you. Every moment I'm around you, I get self-conscious because I strive to be perfect in your eyes. Yutaka..." She squeezed her hands tighter around Yutaka's, whose eyes had doubled in circumference and whose pupils had dilated considerably.

"Yutaka, I-"

But a cacophonous boom cut her off instantly, followed by a similarly vociferous rumbling noise. Minami swerved around immediately to see a curtain of snow cascading down in front of the cave's entrance. The sun's final rays were being blocked out by the blanket of white now almost completely covering the only way out. Yutaka let out a terrified scream as she clung to Minami's arm. Minami sat paralyzed with fear, watching helplessly as she and Yutaka were sequestered from the outside world. Seconds later, the cavern went pitch black as the avalanche filled the mouth of the cave to its apex. The resonance continued for another minute, presumably dumping most of last night's snowfall onto the foundation below.

Silence fell, austere and unrelenting, within what was now their dungeon. Too shocked and frightened to take any pleasure from the raspberry-haired girl's tight embrace around her arm, Minami attempted to pull herself together and assess their less than desirable predicament.

_Yutaka and I are trapped behind a probably impenetrable wall of snow and ice. My mother is on the opposite side of that barrier, and will most likely lose her head when she can't find us. Neither of us have a communication device of any sort on our person. If we do somehow make it out of this prison, we'll need to find the trail, which is presumably buried under this snowfall as well, to have any chance of making it back to the cottage. Our supply of food is limited, even if we miraculously stumble upon some firewood. On top of that, it's now nighttime, which means any chance of being rescued can't begin until morning. As far as any excavating or heavy lifting is concerned, Yutaka isn't exactly muscular, and for that matter, neither am I. I'm even less effective with my back still recovering from the fall._

Minami stole a furtive look at her companion, who had let go of Minami's arm. She now sat with her knees pulled close to her chest, fighting back the urge to become emotional in front of her friend.

_What do we do now?_

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**Sorry to leave y'all on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I felt this was the best point to end this chapter off. Please, please, please review if you have the time, and if you've really enjoyed this story so far, I'd be honored to receive a favorite and/or follow. Until next time!**_  
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	5. Chapter 5: The Ones That Care

**Hey, all! I'm finally back with Chapter 5 of my story. Sorry this one took so long. As much as I'm sure you'd love to hear excuses (college, Spring Break, other hobbies taking up my time), I'm more inclined to believe you came here to read the chapter. So, here you go! As always, constructive feedback is appreciated, as is leaving me a favorite or follow if that's how you feel. Enjoy!**

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An overwhelming reticence pressed in on the two helpless girls after the avalanche subsided, forcing the breath from them as though massive rubber bands constricted their lungs. Minami sat paralyzed, shock disabling any movement her brain urged her to make. Going so suddenly from almost professing her feelings to Yutaka to being cut off from the outside world in such a short amount of time left her dizzy and unable to move her limbs. Despite this, her senses still remained on high alert; the rigid embrace of Yutaka's smooth hands around her arm made its presence well-known. After a minute that seemed to last much longer, Minami's neck unlocked, allowing her to swivel her head and discover the condition of her companion. A slight blush stole over her cheeks as she discovered Yutaka's face buried in her stomach. She too appeared unable to shift herself out of her current position - not that Minami minded.

A new feeling crept into Minami's heart now, one that made her forget how comfortable she was with Yutaka's head practically on her lap. A pain deep enough to cut through flesh and bone stole through her body, not stopping until it landed at the center of her soul. She never thought she'd see Yutaka this frightened; at least not this early on. Minami wanted to take all that fear and transfer it to her own body; anything to make Yutaka go back to her usual, happy-go-lucky self.

Once she could maneuver herself entirely, Minami groped around in the dark for her backpack, careful not to disturb Yutaka. If she was disrupted prematurely from her shocked state, any number of undesirable scenarios could play out. Once her hand touched nylon, she rummaged inside her bag until her fingers alighted on something cylindrical. Pulling it out, Minami found the switch on the side of her flashlight and flipped it. The frigid, gloomy cave lit up thanks to the strong beam of light, revealing the mouth of the cavern, now completely covered in a thick layer of snow and ice. Slowly scanning the rest of the area, she noticed it was much longer than she had originally thought. The tunnel stretched past the reach of her flashlight's beam, and Minami decided to explore at least some of the cave in the hope of finding an alternate exit.

As she set her flashlight upright to bathe the den in ivory-colored light, Minami felt Yutaka finally displace herself from under her. Relieved but still wary, Minami peeked at Yutaka's face as she gathered her wits. Her nose and cheeks were tinted crimson from a combination of the current temperature and from pressing her face so hard into Minami's jacket. After surveying the scene, Yutaka locked eyes with Minami, traces of panic still etched in her gaze.

"Is...is it over?" Her question was timid and hushed, as if she was attempting to prevent another cascade of snow.

"I believe so." Minami pulled her backpack closer and unearthed two identical bags of trail mix. She wordlessly handed one to Yutaka. After being given a quizzical look, Minami explained.

"We should eat. It will help us to have energy and protein in our system before we try and find a way out."

Yutaka nodded and took the bag from her lanky counterpart. They ate silently, both hunched over slightly to warm up their bodies. Minami knew they would need to find firewood if possible to prevent any temperature-related sickness. It would take an extraordinary stroke of luck, but the hope that somewhere in this den lurked a few spare sticks was all Minami had to keep from breaking down in front of Yutaka. She wanted to stay strong, both for Yutaka's sake and for her own sanity.

When they had eaten enough to stop their stomachs from growling, Minami took the leftover contents and placed them once more in her sack. Straightening up, she looked thoughtfully down the path that led deeper into the cave.

"I'm going to see if I can find firewood. You should stay here and try to keep warm."

"Minami-chan, I want to come with you. Who knows what all is lurking in this place? I can't let you go by yourself." Yutaka looked adamant in her decision, but Minami's protective nature forced her to question her friend's words.

"I don't want you to get hurt. If you were to fall, or if there are animals-"

"I worry about those same things with you, Minami-chan! I can't stand the thought of watching you leave and then never coming back! If that happened, I'd...anyway, I'm not letting you out of my sight until we're safe."

"Y-Yutaka..." The emotion in Minami's voice reflected how touched she was by Yutaka's statements. Conviction rang out in every syllable of her words, and it caused Minami's lips to curve into a brief smile. "Ok. Let's get going then."

O++O

Two sets of footsteps echoed throughout the cavern as Minami and Yutaka wandered further into the tunnel. Both girls had their flashlights out now, illuminating their respective sides to paint a clear picture of what stretched ahead of them. The walls were composed of midnight blue marble, much smoother than what Minami expected the inside of a cave to be like. Natural lines etched into the marble made the surfaces almost artistic, curving and swirling to form beautiful patterns. As they trudged deeper into the passage, it grew wider to reveal stalagmites and stalactites composed of the same dark rock. Minami occasionally looked around to admire her surroundings, but was careful to check what lay in front of her so as not to miss any kindling or potential hazards. Suddenly her beam of light landed on a dark, twisted mass that she recognized instantly as the same wood from the surrounding trees of the forest.

"Here." Minami pointed to the pile both with her flashlight and her finger. The two girls walked over to the mound to find seven sticks; enough to keep a fire going for several hours if properly maintained. Flipping her flashlight off and stowing it in her jacket pocket, Minami bent down and picked up the kindling.

"Do you mind lighting the way back?"

Yutaka accepted, relief at discovering a potential source of warmth plain on her glowing features. The two friends turned back the way they came, still careful to watch out for any holes or rocks in their way.

O++O

Minami unloaded the bundle next to her pack as Yutaka lowered herself to her knees. On their walk back, Yutaka had collected loose chunks of rock to encircle the makeshift campfire. Removing these from her pockets, the petite girl placed them strategically to form a circle wide enough to contain the pile of sticks. Minami criss-crossed the wood to form a suitable pile, then, remembering the emergency kit stowed in her backpack, pulled it out and removed the flint and tinder. Minami had never seen a flint and tinder before except in books, and had no idea how to use them other than to hit them together with a distinct amount of force. As much as she loved to read about the mountains and even about activities such as hiking and camping, she had never actually practiced any of the wilderness survival skills discussed in that genre of literature. Gripping the tinder in her dominant hand and the flint in her other, Minami bent low, aimed downward in the direction of the pile of wood and brought the two together with as much force as her weary muscles would allow.

Sparks shot everywhere, flooding the cavern with nearly blinding light. Only a small percentage of the flares struck the pile below, but it was enough for a small ember to appear at the center of the temporary hearth. Minami was about to remove her jacket to fan the flame to life when a hair-raising scream made her jump. Turning to her left, her eyes grew wide in alarm. Yutaka's jacket had caught fire, and instead of using the traditional "stop, drop and roll" technique to extinguish it, the salmon-haired girl was running back and forth while releasing a terrified shriek.

"Yutaka!" Minami immediately jumped up to rescue her friend, whose right arm was now entirely ablaze. Thinking fast, Minami lunged toward Yutaka, wrapping her right hand around the shorter girl's head to prevent it from striking the cave floor. As they fell, Minami used her left hand to pin Yutaka's flaming arm across her body so when they fell, the fire would be extinguished under the combined weight of the two girls.

Minami winced as the hand encasing Yutaka's head hit the floor below them first. If they had plummeted from any higher, her hand would've likely been broken. She could feel skin separating to reveal raw flesh as her right hand grated against the cold marble. Yutaka gasped as she hit the ground next, releasing a similar noise as Minami's chest made contact with her own. The trick worked, however; though the sleeve of Yutaka's jacket still radiated an extreme level of heat, Minami could no longer feel the flames licking at the fabric composing Yutaka's coat.

The crisis terminated, Minami and Yutaka attempted to catch their breath as the temperature around their stomachs dropped. Minami was the first to realize what position they were in: their chests strained against one another, and their faces mere inches apart. Her face adopting a fresh tone of burgundy, Minami straightened up as quickly as she could and stared determinately at the opposite wall. When her embarrassment had mostly subsided, Minami looked back at Yutaka, who was still stretched out on the ground, eyes once again blank with shock.

"Are...are you ok, Yutaka?" Minami forced the mental images of what had just transpired temporarily from her mind as she attempted to check up on her friend. After several seconds, Yutaka responded in a tone almost an octave higher than her normal voice. It was obvious the shock of two near-death experiences in the space of about an hour had rattled her.

"I-I don't think anything's broken...and I think the fire didn't make it down to my skin. All it did was singe my jacket." Still on her back, Yutaka held up her right arm. The majority of her jacket sleeve had burnt off, revealing the sleeve of her cardigan beneath it. Still, Minami couldn't see any skin peeking out underneath the fabric, which hopefully meant Yutaka hadn't sustained any serious burns.

"Thank goodness." Minami breathed a sigh of relief, then started slightly as she remembered the original reason for creating the sparks. Turning quickly to face the pile of kindling, Minami was surprised to see the flame hadn't gone out despite the commotion. Mint green hair flying, Minami turned back to Yutaka, who had sat up and was eyeing her ruined jacket with dismay.

"Could I borrow that?" She pointed to Yutaka's top-most layer of clothing. Yutaka removed the garment immediately, seeing no reason to continue wearing the destroyed apparel. Grasping the singed fabric in both hands, Minami folded it once, stretched it until it grew taut, and began slowly fanning the flame to life, giving the embers time to grow before creating each gust. After several minutes of tedious work, the fire crackled merrily inside the circle of dark blue rocks.

"Minami-chan, that was amazing!" Minami flinched at the sound of Yutaka's voice. She had been so intent on her work that her brain had blocked out all noises and thoughts other than making their fire burn brighter. As always, her face flushed at being complimented by someone she admired so much.

"It was nothing, really." Minami words were mumbled, and anyone not used to her usual soft tone would've missed them.

"I never knew how to make a fire burn like that! Where did you learn to?" Yutaka's curiosity was evident on her radiant features. This temporarily distracted the taller girl, who found such innocence to be incredibly cute.

"I...just read it in a book once, nothing special." Her face was growing warmer, though whether from her proximity to the fire or the blush adorning her cheeks, she couldn't tell for sure.

"Well, since you worked so hard to get a fire started, why don't I heat something up?" Yutaka walked over to where Honoka had left the canned food, skillet and metal rack and set to work.

_Even though we only have some canned meat and fruit, I can't believe Yutaka's actually cooking for me! I've heard from Konata that her cooking skills are amazing!_

_O++O_

Using some empty tupperware containers Minami discovered in her bag, the two companions dined on a meal of cooked tuna, pineapple and baked beans. After taking her first bite, Minami's eyes began to water with happiness.

_This food tastes heavenly!_

"How is it, Minami-chan?" Yutaka sounded anxious but curious.

"It's delicious. Thank you for preparing it."

Yutaka turned pink. "Well, you did the hard part. All I did was open a few cans and make sure nothing cooked for too long."

_Yeah right. If I tried to do what you just did, we'd be eating burnt food for dinner instead of this scrumptious feast._

They continued to eat in silence, Minami occasionally stealing furtive glances at her companion. As they finished their respective meals, Minami thought of all the times the two of them had spent together since they met. Back before she entered high school, Minami highly doubted she would make any friends. In middle school, she barely talked to anyone and had an extremely limited social life. Granted, this did help her in her education and develop her skills in her favorite pastimes, such as reading and playing the piano, but it left a gaping hole in her spirit where friendship and interaction with girls her own age belonged. The day she went to take her admissions exam for Ryōō High School, her hopes of blossoming in the coming years were practically non-existant; lost somewhere in the fog of dread that clouded her mind.

It was only by pure coincidence that she met Yutaka in the first place. Minami chuckled to herself at the irony of the tallest and the shortest girls to show up at the entrance exams meeting and becoming best friends. When she first met Yutaka, something flared up inside of her that, to this day, she still couldn't put her finger on why it happened. A yearning to protect this petite, fragile creature from anything that plagued her, which, in that case, was a bout of sickness.

_Maybe that's why I even spoke to her that day in the bathroom. I almost never start conversations with anybody if I can help it, but that overwhelming desire to shelter and defend Yutaka might've given me the courage to speak to her in the first place._

Her mind jumped back to their first encounter: Yutaka doubled over a sink, her stark white face reflected in the bathroom mirror. Minami, slowly but resolutely, reaching out a hand to get the girl's attention. Asking her if she was feeling ok. Noticing her in detail for the first time: the cute ribbons adorning her shoulder-length hair, the slight blush on her pale face, and those delicate, olive drab eyes that stared innocently into her own as she spoke. Once again tapping into the shallow reserve of courage to loan Yutaka her handkerchief, and offering to escort her to the nurse's office nearby.

That was when she first saw it: that irresistible, full-faced blush which only graced Yutaka's features every so often. It was such a foreign concept to Minami: to mean something to someone unrelated to her. Sure, her parents loved her more than anything in the world since she was their only daughter, but to make such a powerful impression on someone her age, especially someone she had only just met, was unheard of. Minami knew this was probably her only chance to befriend someone who, if they both passed their entrance exams, would at least go to the same high school as she did.

Minami's subconscious wandered back even further, to her days in middle school. She couldn't remember everything, but what prevailed in her mind was a crushing sense of loneliness and misunderstanding. No one her age knew who she really was, and no one would until she met Yutaka. Considered by her classmates to be an intelligent but stoic figure, she knew they didn't pay her much attention. She even overheard some boys talking one day about how she read all day and never said a word to anyone. They even went so far as to call her "creepy" and "a downer." Fearing that the other students in her class all felt the same way about her, Minami never got the chance to open up to a single one of her fellow students, instead spending her free time reading books.

Fast-forwarding into her early high school days, Minami fondly remembered when her class was choosing leadership positions. By that point, she had already realized how often Yutaka got sick, so instead of vying for the class representative position that she held in middle school, she asked specifically to be the class health officer instead. Her teacher wanted Minami to take the class representative role, stating that someone with experience would be better suited for the job, until Yutaka suddenly stood up and volunteered for the class rep. position herself.

_Was it selfish of me to ignore the rest of my classmates in an attempt to be closer to Yutaka? And why did Yutaka suddenly claim the class rep. post after I turned it down?_ Minami thought she might know the answer, but with no evidence to back it up, she dropped the idea as suddenly as she had picked it up.

Finally snapping herself out of her reverie, Minami collected the empty tins and placed them in a vacant pocket of her bag. They might be trapped, but Minami took care to remember the first rule of nature: "Leave everything in better shape than you found it." While she didn't exactly plan on scrubbing the floor, she also despised the idea of leaving their trash strewn across the cave.

_I bet it's been dark outside for a while now. Looks like we're going to have to sleep here tonight and try to stumble out of here tomorrow._ She repeated these words to Yutaka, who nodded and immediately reached over to where her backpack lay to unlatch her jungle green sleeping bag. Minami did the same, unhooking a raspberry colored one and unfurling it with a flick of her hands. As she did this, a small pillow popped out from inside the previously rolled up material. Catching it before it hit the cool floor below, Minami scooted her sleeping back near where the ground met the cave wall and set her pillow down in the empty space between then. Yutaka followed suit, placing hers next to Minami's, bringing the taller girl waves of untold happiness.

Using some water to lower the bonfire considerably, Minami slowly clambered into her makeshift bed and watched Yutaka do the same. Neither of them said a word at first, instead listening to the soft crackle of the dying fire and the faint sound of wind blowing outside.

"M-Minami?"

The mint-haired girl froze as she noticed the suffix "-chan" missing from Yutaka's question.

"Y-Yes?"

"I've been thinking...and I know you have too. I could see it back when we were eating dinner."

"Oh..." It was all Minami could think to say. She had no idea what Yutaka was about to bring up. Maybe she was going to blame her for getting them trapped, or yell at her for taking her on this trip in the first place. Minami had a sudden desire to clamp her ears shut with her hands and wait for Yutaka to fall asleep, but either because of the cold or because of the atmosphere between them, Minami couldn't motivate herself to move her arms and hands anywhere close to her ears. Instead, she turned on her side to look at Yutaka, who did the same when she heard the sound of Minami's body scraping against the synthetic fabric.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what you were thinking about...but all I could think of was you. After all, I am here because you invited me."

"I see..."

_Great. I was right. She definitely wants to berate me for getting her into this mess. Why am I such a lousy friend?_

Yutaka continued on with her speech, blissfully unaware of Minami's self-deprecating thoughts. "That's still so crazy to me - having been invited on a week-long trip with my best friend. Before high school, I never had a real best friend. Everyone was too afraid to get close to me because they thought they'd have to take care of me when I got sick, which usually happens a lot. My family was the only source of friendship I had back then, and family members shouldn't be your only friends. But then, the day we took the entrance exam for Ryōō High School, I met you in the bathroom. Not in a million years did I expect to meet someone so kind and friendly in the restroom at a testing facility. Plus, I was sick, which made it even more unlikely that you would reach out to me like that."

Yutaka paused to draw breath. Minami couldn't believe it. These were almost the exact musings she'd dealt with not even half an hour ago. To hear them from Yutaka - from the opposite end of the table - was something she never thought she'd hear.

Having taken a sufficient break from speaking, Yutaka continued. "I was so happy the day I found out you'd not only made it into Ryōō High School, but you were also in my class. It took every ounce of restraint in me to keep from grabbing you and hugging you with glee that day."

Minami's mind flashed multiple images of a beaming Yutaka embracing her endlessly, while Minami returned the hug and stroked her hair...

"Then, you chose to be class health officer instead of class representative, even though you were class rep. in middle school. I'm almost certain you did that to be the one to take me to the nurse if I got sick. When I think about it, no one's ever gone that far to protect me before.

"And when I think about what happened that time we played dodgeball, and even today when we had that snowball fight, I knew you weren't trying your hardest. I've seen your talent as an athlete, Minami-chan. You're good. Incredibly good. You could've knocked the wind straight out of me any time you wanted to. And yet you didn't. Why? I'm hoping it's because you care. And I guess I just wanted to tell you that...I care too, and I hope you know that."

Minami's chestnut face shone from the light of the dying fire, which helped to hide the profound blush covering her entire face. While "care" wasn't the same thing as "like" or "love," she knew Yutaka truly enjoyed her company; earnestly liked it when she did things like escort her to the nurse's office or take her on a vacation to the mountains. Her heart felt lighter than it had even before the avalanche struck.

Minami stayed silent, gazing into Yutaka's emerald eyes as they bored into her own. Finally, Yutaka rolled over onto her stomach and, thinking their tender moment over, Minami did the same.

"Hey, Minami-chan?"

The girl did not turn back over, but still replied to her close friend. "Yes?"

"I...I don't usually tell people when I'm frightened, but...even though I'm with you right now, this whole situation still has me pretty scared..." Yutaka trailed off, the hints of a whimper etched into the last few words of her sentence. Without thinking, Minami pulled the arm closest to Yutaka out from under the warmth of the sleeping bag and placed her outstretched hand between herself and the vermillion-haired girl.

"Do...do you want to hold hands then? To make sure we know the other is still here?" It was a feeble excuse, but she didn't care. It was taking all of her willpower to stay this courageous in front of her crush.

"Yeah...I'd like that." Yutaka poked one of her tiny hands out from under her own bedroll and intertwined her slender fingers with Minami's. "Thank you, Minami-chan...for everything."

Silence pervaded as Minami struggled to speak. The sensation of Yutaka's hand grasping her own was like a constant electric shock. By the time she found her voice again, Minami could hear Yutaka's rhythmic sighs that indicated she had already drifted off to sleep.

"Thank you too, Yutaka..." And, comforted by Yutaka's heartfelt words and their conjoined hands, Minami soon followed her friend to the land of dreams.

* * *

**That does it for this chapter! Hopefully my next one won't take quite as long, but I can't make any promises. Once again, I always appreciate non-hateful feedback, and I'm also available to beta read for certain animes if you'd like. Until next time!**

**Best Regards,**

**AShinyDelibird**


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